Romezon general information
What is Romezon used for?
The immune system is your body’s defensive barrier. It protects you from invasion with harmful organisms such as bacteria and viruses and is a complex structure of cells, proteins, and chemicals. Your immune system’s job is to destroy foreign microorganisms recognised as non-self, also foreign cells such as a tumour. When working well, the immune system keeps you safe from harmful pathogens and recognises the difference between the invaders and your own cells. However, sometimes the immune system attacks the body’s cells for no apparent reason, and this causes a variety of autoimmune disorders. In other situations, the immune system is overactive and causes inflammatory and allergic reactions that lead to clinical conditions. Romezon tablets 5mg are used to treat a wide range of inflammatory, allergic and immune disorders to suppress clinical symptoms of the disease.
Inflammation
Inflammation is your body’s response to injury and infection. It is a process that involves cells of the immune system and a range of chemicals that are produced to protect and heal the injured or infected tissues. Inflammation that lasts for a short time is acute inflammation, for example, following surgery, soft tissue damage, or infection and is usually painful. However, if inflammation persists, it becomes chronic inflammation, and this can cause further damage, for example, in chronic degenerative joint diseases.
Symptoms of inflammation include swelling and redness due to small blood vessels dilating (widening) and become permeable (leaky). Heat is generated by increased blood flow, and pain and fever are caused by chemicals produced by inflammatory cells.
Conditions caused by inflammation include the connective tissue disease arteritis, which is inflammation of the artery walls, and nephritic syndrome, which is damage to the capillaries of kidneys due to inflammation. Also, chronic active hepatitis, which is inflammation of the liver due to infection or autoimmune destruction resulting in liver damage.
Inflammatory bowel diseases include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Inflammatory skin diseases include exfoliate dermatitis that causes the skin to peel off in layers and results in reddening of the skin. Acute outbreaks of eczema, an inherited inflammatory skin condition called ectopic dermatitis cause patches of red scaly inflamed skin.
Inflammation of the airways causes reversible obstructive respiratory disease. These include asthma (narrowing of the small airways of the lungs called bronchioles), emphysema (damage to the small air sacs or alveoli), and bronchitis (inflammation of the larger airways or bronchial tubes).
Overactive immune system
An overactive immune system causes an extreme allergic response. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can be triggered by an allergy to foods, insect stings and some medicines. Anaphylaxis affects many parts of the body, including causing breathing difficulties, which can be life-threatening.
Symptoms of anaphylaxis require rapid treatment with adrenaline (epinephrine), then Romezon tablets 5mg can be used to help calm down the immune system. Romezon tablets 5mg can also help relieve symptoms of severe asthma, acute outbreaks of eczema and other severe allergies.
Autoimmune diseases
When the immune system attacks body tissues, mistaking them as foreign, this causes a range of conditions depending on the part of the body involved. These include the bowel and intestines, resulting in the inflammatory bowel diseases Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is known as a collagen autoimmune disease. It can affect any tissue of the body, usually the skin and joints, causing skin rash, pain, swelling and other symptoms, depending on where the body is being attacked. Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia is the depletion of red blood cells due to destruction by the immune system. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is caused by the destruction of blood platelets by the immune system. The blood cannot clot properly, resulting in bleeding and bruising. Pemphigus is a rare autoimmune disease of the skin caused by the immune system attacking the skin cells and mucus membranes, causing blisters and erosion of the skin tissue. Romezon tablets 5mg suppress the immune system to relieve symptoms in autoimmune diseases.
Rheumatic disorders
Rheumatic disorders can be caused by inflammation and autoimmune disease and include rheumatoid arthritis, mixed connective tissue disease, and scleroderma. Romezon tablets 5mg help relieve acute symptoms of rheumatic disorders.
Organ transplant
Your immune system will attack any foreign cell. Even a close tissue match may not prevent your immune cells from destroying a transplanted organ. Romezon tablets 5mg are used to help prevent rejection following an organ transplant.
Cancer treatment
Romezon tablets 5mg are used as an anti-cancer medication along with other cancer drugs, to treat certain tumours like leukaemia and lymphoma.
How does Romezon work?
Romezon tablets 5mg contain prednisone, a synthetic corticosteroid hormone, similar to the naturally occurring hormone cortisol. Prednisone is an inactive drug precursor and is converted to its active form prednisolone in the liver. Prednisolone has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-rheumatic and immunosuppressant properties, and Romezon tablets 5mg are used to treat a wide range of inflammatory, allergic and immune disorders.
Corticosteroid hormones act directly through the glucocorticoid receptor that is expressed (made available) inside most cells of the body. Corticosteroids regulate transcription of specific genes (the process where DNA is converted into RNA, the template for protein synthesis) that control the inflammatory and immune responses. The primary therapeutic actions of prednisolone are to reduce the vascular (blood vessels) and cellular inflammatory response. It works by blocking the production of inflammatory chemicals, like prostaglandins and leukotrienes, from inflammatory cells. It also stops small blood vessels from becoming leaky and prevents inflammatory cells from migrating to sites of inflammation. This action of prednisolone reduces the swelling (oedema), redness and pain associated with inflammation and modifies the actions of cells involved in allergic, immune and inflammatory responses.
Romezon tablets 5mg are formulated for delayed-release and are active for up to 36 hours.
What does Romezon contain?
Romezon tablets 5mg contain the active ingredient prednisone, a corticosteroid hormone used to treat wide range of inflammatory, allergic and immune disorders. Romezon also contains the inactive ingredients lactose monohydrate, dibasic calcium phosphate hydrate, povidone-k 29/32, croscarmellose sodium (E468), ferric oxide, colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate and glyceryl behenate.
What are the side effects of Romezon?
Most medications have some side effects, but they are not experienced by everyone. Some side effects are commonly experienced when taking Romezon tablets 5mg, but others are not so common, and you should discuss any problems or concerns with your primary care physician.
Common side effects when taking Romezon include increased susceptibility to infection, muscle or bone aches and pains, weight gain, thinning of skin, bone demineralisation, slow wound healing, acne, redistribution of body fat creating the typical moon face, altered vision. Also, behavioural and mood disturbances such as depression, irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbances.
What are the health risks of taking Romezon?
Long term use of Romezon tablets 5mg may cause the adrenal glands, which produce endogenous (naturally occurring) corticosteroids, to stop working efficiently. This may slow down the growth rate in children and will need regular monitoring. Romezon tablets 5mg may also cause decreased bone mineral density, if used for long periods. Long term use of steroids may be associated with a range of side effects such as round face, altered body shape, altered hair growth, thinning of the bones, decreased resistance to infection, increased blood pressure and diabetes.
When should Romezon not be used?
Have a talk with your primary healthcare physician before taking Romezon tablets 5mg so that you have a full understanding of what this medicine is for and how to use it. There are some reasons for not taking a medication; these are called contraindications, and for Romezon you should consider the following before taking Romezon:
- Have you ever had an unusual reaction or an allergy when taking Romezon?
- Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?
- Do you have any problems with your kidneys or your liver?
- Do you have a serious infection, including tuberculosis or a systemic fungal infection?
- Are you in close contact with someone with an infectious disease like measles or chicken pox?
- Are you due to receive a vaccination with a live virus vaccine?
- Do you have high blood pressure or a heart condition?
- Do you have epilepsy, diabetes, glaucoma, osteoporosis, thyroid disease?
- Do you have stomach ulcers or other intestinal problems?
What medications interact with Romezon?
Some medicines interact with Romezon tablets 5mg and may affect the way it works, or are affected by Romezon or increase side effects; you should discuss possible interactions with your primary care physician. These may include anti-inflammatories like diclofenac, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, naproxen, or phenylbutazone, barbiturates, the anticonvulsant phenytoin, the anti-infective rifampicin, anticoagulants, medicines for diabetes, antacids for reflux, diuretics like frusemide, the antifungal ketoconazole, oestrogen contraceptives.
If other medications may interact with Romezon, your doctor will discuss these with you.
How should Romezon be taken and for how long?
You should take your Romezon tablets 5mg swallowed whole with a glass of water and with food. The dose of Romezon tablets 5mg that you take, how often and for how long depends on what you are being treated for and your doctor’s recommendation. You should continue to take your Romezon tablets 5mg for as long as recommended by your doctor.
Do not stop taking your Romezon tablets 5mg suddenly. This may result in withdrawal symptoms. If you are recommended stopping taking your Romezon tablets 5mg this should be gradual to reduce risk of side effects.
Missed dose of Romezon
If you miss a dose of Romezon tablets 5mg take it as soon as you remember, unless it is time to take the next dose, then skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose.
How should Romezon be stored?
You should store your Romezon tablets 5mg below 25°C in a cool dry place.